SATURDAY MORNING SUPERSTARS: DID ‘SAVED BY THE BELL’ SAVE OR DOOM SATURDAY MORNINGS?

[TMC]

https://geekanything.com/2022/01/22/...rday-mornings/

Saved By The Bell was such a massive hit, earning prime-time level ratings, that NBC scrapped its animated Saturday morning offerings. By delivering such numbers, this allowed NBC to generate more money from advertising, and to advertise to an older audience. Cartoons only attracted cereal and toy manufacturers and fast-food chains, but teens had more money than little kids and more needs, so NBC was able to run ads for hygiene products, clothing, music, and more, which generated more money than the revenue generated by the ads aimed at younger kids.

Starting in 1992, multiple hours of NBC’s Saturday morning schedule were taken up by Saturday Today, an extension of the weekday infotainment chat program, The Today Show. That was followed by Saved By The Bell and California Dreams.

California Dreams was also created by Engel and was another live-action teen-targeted sitcom that focused on a young garage band. That show debuted in 1992 and lasted for five seasons.

[EccentricGenius]

Interesting article. Due to the eventual success of Saved By The Bell (despite dismal reviews), NBC discontinued all animated programming and completely overhauled its entire Saturday morning schedule altogether, beginning with the 1992-93 fall season. SBTB ultimately became the linchpin for a brand-new, teen-oriented block of live-action sitcoms called TNBC.

Thanks for sharing, TMC.